The Oyo State Agency for Adult and Non-Formal Education (AANFE), recently embarked on awareness drive as the 2021 adult and non-formal education programme commences following the approval of the Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde.
The acting executive secretary of Oyo AANFE, Olakunlehin Aderemi Nathaniel made the disclosure while speaking to newsmen at the agency’s headquarters at Quarter 102, Agodi GRA, Ibadan, Oyo State capital.
According to Olakunlehin, the purpose of the annual programme is to sensitise the community, as well as mobilise the target audience to benefit from the classes organised by the agency where facilitators teach adult learners reading and writing skills free-of-charge.
The acting executive secretary further disclosed that the agency operates two centres in each of the 33 local government areas, apart from the centre at AANFE’s office, which he said are called conventional centres.
He said the tuition-free programme, being sponsored by the Seyi Makinde-led administration, also gives free instruction materials to learners.
The sensitisation and mobilisation exercise for the 2021 programme started from Bodija Market through Oja Oba and to the Mapo Area of Ibadan.
According to Olakunlehin, the classes would run from April through November 2021.
Olakunlehin said: “Learners choose their own convenient time for classes in consultation with our facilitators because most of them are market women and artisans. We have our classes in three different ways: the basics; post and advanced. We also have skills acquisition centre where we train people on cake-making, soap-making, sewing and so forth.
“It’s a non-formal education. So, we are begging our target audience comprising largely of market women and artisans to attend our classes, so they can learn how to read and write, and be useful in the society. The turnout has been impressive; as we go round, people are asking for the address of our agency. This implies that most people have never heard about adult education before,” Olakunlehin said.
“We have engaged the media, namely radio, television, print and social media in spreading the news to many people who are yet to be aware of our programme. We have also been sensitising people through jingles,” he added.
